The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1887-01-11
The Widow Pumpkins,

'"o SiaSs I'LL spark ing Win hOar frost,
the trees waving their r~cd-jcwcled arms
to the sunshine, and Eiiakim Ellis was
driving sercnely down Hay Hill.
Il amt a poet" thought he, "but if
l was, 1 could write a lot of rhymes
about like this. Why, it's poetry all
the way through. And-ch2-how2.
what? Who's that?"
1t was the Widow Hepsy Hall, stand.
ing at the door of her little onc-storied
house, and reckoning with her long,
lean arms toward him. The farmer
drew his rein.
"Hold on Sorrelw he apostrophizcd
his stced. "You amt never in Il hurry.
when l want you to be, so I calcerlatc
you can stand still a bit now. Wal, Mis-
Hall, what can I dew for ye this morn
ingT
I've got some pumpkins that I want to
sell" said the Widow Hepsy. "Drcfful
likely onea"
"PumpkinsW echoed Eliakim. 'sINhy,
bless you soul, Mis- Hall, pumpkins is u
dreg in the market, just now. The
pumpkin crop has turned out powerful
good, thank Providence, and our folks
is fcedin' 'em to the caows."
Ashadow ofdire disappointment crept
over the old woman's face, as she stood
there, unconsciously picturesque, against
the curly hop-tendrils and crimson wood
blne leaves that garlanded the doorway.
The tears came into her dim eyes.
"Then I may as we'll give it up" said
she, in accents of dispalr. "For 1 hain't
nothin' else to sell; and Belindy had set
such store on my comm down this
autumn afore cold weather set in"
"Ehi" Gaid Mr.. Ellis; good -naturedly.
"You was a-goin' down down to Belin-
dy's, eh2"
Il can't without no money!" said the
Widow Hepsy Hall. "And I was sort
O. calculatin' on them pumpkins. The
corn hain't amounted to nothin', and
the weasels has TUX all the poultry, and
the dried berries widowed that last dog
days weather, and the carpet-weavcn'
business is awful dull; SO what be I to
do9'
"Can't ye put off your visit7" said
Eliakim, t%houshtfully Ticking the top
off a cluster of saucy ox-eyed daisies,
that grew close to his wagon wheels.
"Belindy's little boys got the Group"
said Mrs. Hall, lugubriously. "And her
husband has fell off a scaffold and broke
his leg. And If ever Pm wanted there,
it's now"
II swan !" calculated honest Eliakim,
as he realized what the double meaning
of poverty and misfortune was. s'Fetch
me them pumpkins; I'll buy 'em any
how"
"Il let you have the lot for a dollar"
said the Widow Hcpsy, wistfully.
"They're jest out in the corner lot."
"Ain't gcthercd, eh2"
"Bless me! who've got to gcther 'em9"
rcproachfully retortcd Mrs. Hall-"and
not a soul about the place, and me with
that crick in my back"
Eiiakim Ellis heart smotc him. Who
was he, to complain of a little extra
trouble, when the Widow Hcpsy was SO
much worse off han himse.f7
So he alighted, and led Sorrel labor
iously down the stony cart track toward
the corn field, where, amid the harvested
shocks, glcamed the ruddy gold of pump
kins innumerable.
X Q Q
"Pumpkinsw screamed Mrs. Ellis.
When her husband drove into the door
yard at noon. "Pumpkinsl Why, Ella
kim Ellis, what on earth arc you bring
ing pumpkins here for7 Amt we got the
barn-chambers full, and the lots full, and
the very cattle won't eat 'em7 Be you
clean gone crazyW
Mrs. Ellis was n high. cheek -boncd
female, with projecting front teeth, and
hard, greenish eyes, like badly colored
marbles. She was one of those who
worship gain as the fire. worshirpers far
down before the sun. "Money is
moneyW was her favorite axiom. And
Eliakim felt his heart sink within him
as he faced her stern, uncompromising
gaze. .
They're jest a fcw-" he began.
"A fewr' shrilly echoed his wife.
"The Vaughn is heaped fulli And we
a-throwin' of 'em away every dayi
That's jest a mans %calculatin'W
"jest a few" said Eliakim, hitching